Near Istanbul

Flying from Copenhagen to Singapore near Istanbul... 

We will be home soon 😉 and 😕

Copenhagen - last day of our trip

We are currently in Copenhagen, our last day before flying out tomorrow.  It's a bit chilly here but have made the most if the day by going to the Carlsberg glyptotek  museum (all that money from beer has been put to good use with an amazing museum) and lunch at the Torvehallerne market. It's all been lots of fun over the last 3 months! 

Danish Parking Lot

Rome with a quick side trip to Florence

Yesterday we left Lucca in the morning. As we had to change trains in Florence we thought that we shouldn't miss the opportunity for a few hours in Florence. A bit of shopping,  walk to the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio, some lunch then back on the train to Rome. The weather is sunny but has cooled down.  Both Florence and Rome are teeming with tourists.  A nice dinner tonight and then we start the trek home. 

View from Ponte Vecchio 

Rome

Piazza Navona 

Lovely Lucca

Yesterday we caught the local bus to the Fattoria al Dotto winery for a tasting and too much food in the hills just outside of Lucca. Today we saw the sights of Lucca including the view over the town from the Torre Guinigi, a visit to the Palazzo Pfanner and a walk around the walls of the town. Lucca is Puccini's home town so lots of homage to him. 

Fattoria al Dotto

Torre Guinigi

 Palazzo Pfanner

Around Lucca

Ciao Sicily buongiorno Tuscany

We travelled from Noto to Catania on Tuesday and stayed the night as we had an early flight. It was a public holiday for All Saints Day so quite busy.  Catania is a bit grimy in spots but the main piazzas and streets are quite impressive.  The food markets are very colourful and lively. We are now in Lucca in Tuscany,  a walled town about half an hour from Pisa. After the endless summer of Sicily,  there are autumn leaves, some rain and we need jumpers for the first time for a while.

Lunch at Catania markets

Kirky enjoying lunch in Catania markets

Day trip to Syracuse

Although we stayed in Syracuse 12 years ago, as it is a beautiful town we thought a day trip from Noto was in order.  An obligatory visit to the cathedral in Piazza del Duomo and the Castello Maniace followed by lunch at the markets. Lots of tourists about as it is a public holiday tomorrow and lots of Italians and other Europeans are soaking up the lovely weather.

Noto

We are now staying in Noto possibly the most beautiful (and most popular)  of the baroque towns in Sicily.  Gorgeous churches and pallazzi - even the staircases are artistic. I also have it from a reliable source that some scenes from season 2 of white lotus were filmed here. 

Pretty staircase 

Modica

A sojourn to Modica today another baroque town about 30 minutes from Ragusa. Beautiful churches and lots of steps! 

Ragusa

Yesterday we hired a car to drive from Agrigento to Ragusa.  The weather was warm so we made a stop at the beach at Mafria for a swim. We has some heart palpitations driving to our accommodation on the narrow streets of Ragusa.  We are now without the car and so it was lots of stairs down and up to the old town today. I got sweaty palms watching a Mercedes 4wd scrape it's sides as it tried get to through the very narrow old town streets.

Mafria beach 

Ragusa ibla

Agrigento

We were here 12 years ago but still amazing.  Valley of the Temples.

Marsala

We are still in western Sicily in Marsala, home of the sweet fortified wine you may have drunk as a teenager. There are lots of wineries in the area and wine bars in Marsala serving up mainly red and white wines ( but not much marsala).  We went to Donnafugata winery yesterday for a tasting and paired with Sicilian local delicacies. Wines good although they have recently partnered with Dolce and Gabbana to produce a range with trendy labels.  Appears to have tripled the price!   The fabulous archaeological museum contains remains of a warship sunk during the first Punic War.  The Phoenicians were quite advanced for 3rd century bc. Marsala is a town with baroque buildings and food with Arab influences. Cous Cous is excellent! 

 

Segesta

A trip today to Segesta about 45 minutes from Trapani. The archaeological site contains amongst other less preserved ruins, a Doric temple built by the Elymians in 420 BC and a Greek theatre with views down the valley towards the Gulf of Castellamare. Both the temple and the theatre are still used for events and performances.

Temple !

Egadi Islands - Favignana

Today we took the hydrofoil from Trapani to Favignana one of the Egadi Islands about 30 minutes away. We did not attempt to walk to the Castela di Santa Caterina a ruined 15th century fort atop the hill. Better to spend time on the beach and having lunch. 

Castela di Santa Caterina

Erice

Today we took a trip from Trapani to Erice a 12 century village overlooking Trapani which you get to via funicular. Lots of churches,  a Norman castle and quite a few souvenir shops plus spectacular views from its mountain top location. 

Glorious return to Sicily

 It's been 12 years since we were last in Sicily ...

We have returned, however unlike almost everyone in history we are not intending (at this stage) to conquer the Island, but rather to feast our eyes on its glory, and our mouths on grilled vegetables & wine (bring on the pasta alla Norma )

We were rudely awakened at 05:30 hours (I can neither confirm nor deny that, left to ourselves, we may have been sleeping in just a little past that time) by our alarm, to get to an 07:55 flight

Paolo and Valentina at Il Borgo B&B, Cagliari left us a beautiful breakfast and arranged for a taxi, we were thru customs and having (another) coffee by 06:45, after our previous airport security experience ( STILL TOO SOON TO TALK ABOUT ... looking into therapy when we return .. I hope our travel insurance covers psychological trauma ) we decided to pay extra for fast security clearance.

As we are in an apartment we are looking forward to a few meals at home. 

We arrived in Palermo Airport, and got a bus to Trapani, currently about 100m from the harbour, and 50m from the old town. Had a quick explore, but heading out soon for passigiata.

/ ˌPasɛˈdʒɑːtə /

noun : walk ; plural noun : walks

1. (especially in Italy or Italian-speaking areas) a leisurely walk or stroll, especially one taken in the evening for the purpose of socializing
2. 
   

Culture and wine - last day in Sardinia

We started the day with a trip to the food markets,  a visit to the Archaeological Museum and a wine tour in the Parteolla wine district just outside of Cagliari. Met the wine maker,  tasted some grape varieties we had never heard of plus some local grappa.

Cagliari

We are now in Cagliari the capital of Sardinia. It is the weekend and the place is buzzing. We are not used to so many people!  There was a Serie  B football match yesterday involving the local team and the town was swamped with supporters from both teams. The weather is very warm and everyone in Cagliari was out partying last night. There is a large citadel built by the Pisans and Aragonese which is a lovely area to walk through and a lively marina area.  

Petite trains are taking over the world

Lots of "young things" out on a Saturday nite.

A shame we got rid of our car .. I'd love to drive here 

Ill Bastioni

Cala Gonone - more caves

Weather is now nice.  Took a boat trip to Blu Marino cave and Cala Luna beach today. B and B has 2 dogs a cat and two racing turtles. 

Cala Gonone

Had a rather wet drive from Bosa to Cala Ganone yesterday. We are on the East Coast of Sardinia in the Golfo di Oresei. Drizzling this morning but fine this afternoon.  View from our balcony from our b and b. 

Bosa

Arrived in Bosa yesterday.   Lovely town on the river and a couple of kms from the beach. Tuscan's built the large castle overlooking the town.  There is even a Ponte Vecchio.

Alghero

We are in Alghero a town in north west Sardinia.  It was a Catalan colony in the1300s and a quarter of the population still speak Catalan as their first language.  There is a distinctly Spanish vibe here particularly in the old walled part of the town.  We took a boat trip today  to Neptune's Grotto one of the largest caves in Italy to view the stalagmites and stalagtites.

 Neptunes Caves Aleghro

Lunch View

Moon rise (Dinner View)

Just outside of Aggius

We are currently staying at an Agriturismo in the mountains in northern Sardinia. It seems that just about every farm has turned into a farmstay during the warmer months.  Our accommodation is rustic with two friendly dogs and a large family of free range pigs.  Dinner last night was rather large and could have included some of the pig family, dying for a good cause. It was finished off with some of the local murtle liqueur. Today we drove through the granite bouldered valley of the moon to the beach on the western coast about 30 minutes away. Isola Rossa so named due to its red coloured rocks and also nice for a swim. 

one of the cute resident dogs

Some of the pig family